NACo Prescription Discount Card Program Has Saved Americans More than $500 Million on Prescription Drugs

NACo Prescription Discount Card Program Has Saved Americans More than $500
Million on Prescription Drugs
Program, administered by CVS Caremark, designed to help uninsured and
under-insured
PR Newswire
WASHINGTON and WOONSOCKET, R.I., Nov. 14, 2012
WASHINGTON and WOONSOCKET, R.I., Nov. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Residents in
counties across the country that participate in the National Association of
Counties (NACo) Prescription Discount Card Program have saved more than $500
million on their prescription medications since the launch of the program in
2004, according to data released today by NACo and CVS Caremark.Today more
than 1,400 counties across the United States participate in the program.
While the average savings per transaction is approximately 24 percent, those
savings can add up over time for many American families.
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"This program puts cash back into consumers' pockets thanks to their county
government and the National Association of Counties," said NACo President
Chris Rodgers, Commissioner, Douglas County, Neb. "Saving American consumers
more than $500 million on their prescription costs is an enormous milestone
for our program, and NACo is extremely proud of this result."
"At CVS Caremark, we recognize that medication adherence can positively affect
an individual's overall health, while also helping to reduce overall health
care costs," said Jon Roberts, President of the pharmacy benefit management
business of CVS Caremark. "The NACo Prescription Discount Card Program helps
reduce the cost of medications – one of the most frequently cited barriers to
taking medications as prescribed – and is one example of the many programs we
administer to help support medication adherence and help people on their path
to better health."
The savings as a result of the program are significant in many of the
participating counties. For example, $24.3 million saved in Montgomery
County, Md.; $15.9 million saved in Indianapolis/Marion County, Ind.; $10
million saved in Snohomish County, Wash.; $7.2 million saved in Wake County,
N.C.; $6.5 million saved in Maricopa County, Ariz.; $6.2 million saved in Palm
Beach County, Fla.; $2.8 million saved in Fulton County, Ga., and $1.9 million
in Cook County, Ill.
Rural counties with populations under 50,000 are also experiencing savings:
$546,000 saved in Culpeper County, Va.; $341,000 saved in Buffalo County,
Neb., $184,000 saved in Baxter County, Ark.; $179,000 saved in Brookings
County, S.D., and $119,000 saved in Humboldt County, Iowa. Savings are not
exclusive to the continental 48 states: More than $609,000 has been saved in
Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, while residents in Honolulu City/County,
Hawaii have saved more than $3.6 million.
The free discount card has many benefits: It is easy to get, there are no
forms to fill out and it is available at no cost to the consumer. The card can
be used by people who do not have insurance or by those who have certain
prescriptions that are not covered by their insurance.
The card may be used by any resident of a participating county, regardless of
age, income or existing health conditions. Everyone is eligible and one card
can be used by the entire family. All commonly prescribed prescription
medications, including many pet medications, are eligible for a discount.
The card is accepted within a national network of 65,000 pharmacies including
all the major chains such as Wal-Mart, CVS/Pharmacy, Walgreens, Giant,
Safeway, and Rite Aid. Participating pharmacies also include the majority of
community-based, independent pharmacies.
Residents can find out if their county participates in the program by visiting
www.nacorx.org. A discount card can be printed directly from the same
website. Information is also posted on the website to help county residents
locate the nearest participating pharmacy. Assistance with the discount card
program is also available by calling toll-free 1-877-321-2652.
The NACo Prescription Drug Discount Card Program was created in late 2004 as a
17-county pilot program in partnership with CVS Caremark to provide a valuable
membership benefit to counties. The NACo Board of Directors made the program
available to members nationwide in May 2005.
About NACo
The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization
that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935,
NACo provides essential services to the nation's 3,068 counties. NACo
advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves
the public's understanding of county government, assists counties in finding
and sharing innovative solutions through education and research, and provides
value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money. For more
information about NACo, visit www.naco.org.
About CVS Caremark
CVS Caremark is dedicated to helping people on their path to better health as
the largest integrated pharmacy company in the United States. Through the
company's more than 7,400 CVS/pharmacy stores; its leading pharmacy benefit
manager serving more than 60 million plan members; and its retail health
clinic system, the largest in the nation with more than 600 MinuteClinic
locations, it is a market leader in mail order, retail and specialty pharmacy,
retail clinics, and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans. As a pharmacy
innovation company with an unmatched breadth of capabilities, CVS Caremark
continually strives to improve health and lower costs by developing new
approaches such as its unique Pharmacy Advisor program that helps people with
chronic diseases such as diabetes obtain and stay on their medications. Find
more information about how CVS Caremark is reinventing pharmacy for better
health at info.cvscaremark.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Christine Cramer Jim Philipps
CVS Caremark NACo
(401) 770 3317 (202) 942-4220
SOURCE CVS
Website: http://www.cvs.com